John spitzmiller



lo. s|3,73|. Patented Nov. 8, I898; .LSPITZMILLER.

SPEED INDICATOR.

(Applicltion filed Jan. 17, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SPITZIWIILLER, OF POPLAR BLUFF, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HORACE D. IVILLIAMS, OF SAME PLACE.

' SPEED-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,731, dated November 8, 1898.

Application filed January 17, 1898. Serial No.'666,858. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN SPITZMILLEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pop lar Bluff, in the county of Butler and State of Missouri, have made a certain new and useful Improvement in Speed-Indicators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a face view of my improved speed-indicator. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the

dial-plate being removed and the indicatorwheel being broken away to more clearly show the interior mechanism. Fig. 3 is an edge View, part of the casing being removed to more clearly show the interior mechanism. Fig. at

is a back view, the lid being open to show the interior mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the worm which engages the indicator- Wheel. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 7 is a face view of the clutch which engages the worm.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in speed-indicators, and is designed particularly for use where'it isdesired to ascertain the speed of shafts.

I am aware that speed-indicators of this general class have been in use for a long time; but usually it is necessary to have two persons take the speed of a shaft or to ascertain the number of revolutions of said shaft in a 5 given length of time, one person applying the indicator and the other person timing the application of the point or spear of the indicator to the shaft. Such a method of ascer taining the number of revolutions of a shaft 40 is not only objectionable, but unreliable, eX- perience having proven that pieces of machinery are given variable speed when it is known that their speed is regular. My present invention contemplates the use of a speedindicator in conjunction with a timing mechanism,whereby one person may take the speed of a shaft and absolutely control the application of the device to the shaft when the time indicator reaches a certain point.

The principal features of my invention reside in the means for automatically stopping the device when the time-indicator records a certain space of time. This automatic stopping device, as I have termed it, may either actually disengage the indicating device from 5 5 the shaft or it may act merely as a signal for the person applying the indicator to a shaft to indicate that a certain time has elapsed since the indicator was placed in operative 1 position.

In the drawings, A indicates a suitable case, which may be of the form of an ordinary watchcase; but it is obvious that there are other casings which would answer as well.

A indicates a stationary handle on said case A, by which the device is manipulated in practice.

B indicates a watch-movement, which is preferably arranged in the base of the case A, as shown in Fig. 4:, said movement being adapted to be wound up, so that when running it will correctly record the passage of time. This watch drives a shaft O, which shaft O carries a seconds-hand D, said seconds-hand traveling over a dial E on the face of the watch to indicate the passage of time when the device is in operation.

F indicates a disk mounted on shaft O, which disk is provided with a notch in its periphery, as shown in Fig. 2.

G indicates a bell-crank lever whose inner end or member is provided with an antifriction-roller g, which rides over the periphery of disk F when the device is indicating the speed of a shaft, said roller being adapted also to fall into the notch in the disk when said notch is in the proper position. H indicates a spring which tends to normally hold the roller 9 in contact with disk F. The other end of lever G engages a shoulder on the in- 0 ner end of a spindle I, which spindle projects outside the casing and carries a spear-head J, which is adapted to fit in the centering hollow of a shaft to impart rotation to said spindle I. Spindle I also carries a clutch K, 5

fixed thereto, which clutch is preferably starshaped, as shown in Fig. 7, so that it will positively engage the female member L of said clutch, which female member is preferably mounted in the inner end of housing M,

which incloses the spindle I. This female member L of the clutch has conjoined to it a spiral :flange N, which forms practically a worm to engage teeth on a wheel 0. IVheel O is practically a dial-wheel and is provided with a series of measurements-say one hun- (11GdWlllCll correspond to the number of teeth on said wheel, as one revolution of the spindle I when in engagement with wheel 0 will move said wheel or dial 0 the distance of one tooth, which is indicated by a stationary indicator. A sight-opening is formed in dial E, through which the figure on dial 0 may be read.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming the watch-movement to be wound up, the roller g on lever G, engaging the notch in disk F, will prevent said watch-movement from running until the roller is disengaged from said notch. The male member K of the clutch is also out of engagement with the female member L of said clutch, and any rotation imparted to spindle I will not affect the position of dial 0. IVhen the spear-point J is applied to the shaft of which it is desired to ascertain the speed, sufficient pressure is necessary to establish a fixed c011- nection between said spearpoint and the shaft. This pressure forces the spindle I inwardly, which causes the clutch member K to engage with the clutch member L, rotating the worm-wheel N. At the same time lever G is actuated until the roller g is disengaged from the notch in disk F and the clockmovement is released, which then commences to record the time,the seconds-hand traveling over the dial E being in sight merely for convenience and to indicate the relative position of notch in disk F with relation to the roller g. After the parts are in operation, as above, the roller g travels over the periphery of disk F, and when a minute orother predetermined lapse of time has expired said roller g drops in notch of disk F, causing the watch-move ment to cease, and at the same time throws the spindle I outwardly, disengaging the clutch. This automatic stoppage is due to the tension of spring II. The length of time the spindle I is positively engaged with the dial 0 is recorded, and when the device is thrown out of operative position dial 0 may be read through the sight-opening, when it may be determined the exact number of revolutions the shaft has made during the time spindle I was in engagement with the dialwheel 0. It will be understood in this connection that when the roller g is in line with the notch in disk F spring 11 acts to draw the roller into the notch and stop the mechanism. Care should be taken to not press the spearpoint too firmly against the shaft during the entire period, because if the pressure is constant in overcoming the tension of spring II roller g will not ride on theperiphery of disk F, and consequently cannot properly cooperate with the notch. In applying the indicater to a shaft the first engagement should be quick and positive, after which the pressure is gradually reduced until the roller rests on the disk, when it should be held at that point. Frictional contact of the spearhead With the shaft is sufficient to operate the mechanism after the first application, and little or no pressure is required to hold the spear -head in proper engagen'ient. \Vhen the operator feels the outward movement of the spear-head when roller 9 drops into its notch, he knows that the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

\Vhile I have shown the dial-wheel O as indicating but one hundred revolutions per minute, it is obvious that said dial or wheel may be so arranged that it will register on its face more or less than one hundred revolutions of the shaft within a given period of time. Again, while I have shown a simple form of stop mechanism for the timing device by which I propose to automatically stop said timing mechanism at the expiration of a minute, yet it is obvious that these parts can be so arranged that the timing mechanism can be stopped at the expiration of a period of time more or less than one minute, if de sired.

In devices of this character it is unnecessary to have a timing mechanism which will run for a long time, and for that reason any timing mechanism which can be wound up to run for only an hour or two will answer my purpose, as said mechanism is automatically stopped and the wear and tear of the wheels thereby saved after the timing mechanism has performed its function.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a timing mechanism, of a notched disk driven thereby, a speed-indicating device, a lever which cooperates with said notched disk and said speedindieating device, and a clutch in said speedindicating device; substantially as described.

2. lhe combination with a timing mechanism, of a notched disk driven thereby, a lever provided with a roller on one of its members to cooperate with the periphery of said disk and engage the notch thereof, a spindle engaging the other member of said lever, a clutch member on said spindle, and a clutch member with which said first mentioned clutch member cooperates, said last-memtioned clutch member carrying a worm-wheel to engage the dial which registers the number of revolutions made by said spindle in a given period of time; substantially as described.

The combination with a suitable casing, of a timing mechanism arranged therein, a notched disk driven by said timing mechan- 10 male clutch member, and a dial-wheel which is actuated by said worm-wheel; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 13th day of January, 1898.

JOHN SPITZMILLER.

Vitnesses:

H. D. WILLIAMS, W. R. FOLEY. 

